Stay
by THGgoddess4ever
Summary: One drunken night, a night filled with confessions and promises from the brooding Gale Hawthorne, was all it took for Johanna Mason's life to change directions completely. Modern Day AU Johale One- Shot. Open to adding one or two more chapters. Johanna/ Gale and Katniss/ Peeta
1. Chapter 1

**I have had this idea for awhile. I know that Gale/Johanna fics do not get many views or reviews but I'm hoping that I at least get a few reviews. This is a one-shot but if I get at least a few reviews and follows/ favorites I might add another chapter or two. Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games trilogy or the song Stay by Rihanna and Mikky Ekko.**

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**Just some facts you might want to know. Jo, Gale, Kat, and Peeta are all 21 years old in this story. It begins in May of 2012. In this story, Gale's mother passed away as did Katniss' dad. Gale's dad got re-married to Katniss' mom, making Gale and Katniss step siblings. Prim, Vick, and Posy are still part of the family but Rory is not. This is so if I add on to this story I have someone for Prim. **

**Anyways, Enjoy!**

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**Stay by THGgoddess4ever**

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"Jo, let's go! The party starts in ten minutes we're going to be late!" Katniss yells. I hastily finish applying my makeup and throw my mascara in my clutch.

"Okay okay I'm ready now! Is Gale here already?" I ask. Katniss scowls but nods her head yes. Gale is Katniss' step- brother, and my best friend. Needless to say, Gale and Katniss get along the best siblings can. I smirk at Katniss' distaste and grab her arm, pulling her out the door and into Gale's beat up Chevy. I scoot into the middle seat and plant a wet kiss on Gale's cheek. Katniss pretends to throw up, Gale turns and kisses my forehead. Lately, Gale and I have been a lot more touchy- feely. I have always had a bit of a crush on Gale, but recently it seems like Gale has been reciprocating my feelings. I'm hoping to get the guts up to tell him how I feel tonight, it's about time I make a move. I mean we all just graduated from college a few days ago, we are adults not hormonal teenagers anymore. Gale turns back in his seat, starts the car and starts towards the mansion the party is being held at. We arrive to a huge stone mansion filled with the local college graduates and a few high school kids who snuck in. The first floor is filled with pounding music, alcohol of every kinds, and gyrating people. Several joints are being passed around and the smell of marijuana is heavy in the air. Katniss runs off to join her boyfriend Peeta and his group of friends, leaving Gale and I alone.

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** 2 hours later…**

Gale hands me two Jell-o shots as I down the rest of my Long Island Ice Tea and he takes the last sip of his beer. He counts to three and we throw back the shots. I lost count on how many drinks Gale and I have had combined. All I know is that I am feeling really good right now, I think I want to dance. I throw the plastic shot glasses on the ground and drag Gale to the impromptu dance floor. I stand in front of him, my back pressed against his front as I rotate my hips to the music. Someone slows the music down so I turn and rest my head on Gale's chest.

_All along it was a fever_

_A cold sweat hot-headed believer_

_I threw my hands in the air and said, "Show me something,"_

_He said, "If you dare come a little closer."_

I pull Gale closer to me, wrapping his arms around my neck. He looks down at me as I look up at him. I pull his head down and his lips meet mine in a frenzied kiss.

_Round and around and around and around we go_

_Oh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know…_

"I really like you Jo." Gale slurs as we pull away.

_Not really sure how to feel about it._

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you._

_It takes me all the way._

_I want you to stay._

"Promise me you'll never leave me Gale. Stay with me, forever." I say before our lips meet again.

_It's not much of a life you're living_

_It's not just something you take – it's given._

Gale slides down onto one knee and holds out a glow bracelet, "Let's get married! What do you say Jo? I mean I know its sudden but I love you."

"You love me?" I ask, temporarily forgetting we are in the middle of a party.

Gale smiles, kissing my hand, "Of course I do. Always have Jo-jo."

I take the glow bracelet from him and slip it on, "Okay. Find a witness, I'll call a cab to take us down the road to the strip."

_Round and around and around and around we go_

_Oh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know…_

_Not really sure how to feel about it._

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you._

_It takes me all the way._

_I want you to stay._

"Joooooohannnnnnnnnaa, I found two people!" Gale yells as he stumbles down the stairs. Pulling his step-sister behind him, and her pulling Peeta. Katniss giggles as Peeta trips and falls in the grass.

I roll my eyes, "I don't think we're all gunna fit in the cab."

Peeta pulls Katniss down on top of him and winks, "Guess Katty will have to sit on my lap. Meeeooowwww."

_Ooh the reason I hold on_

_Ooh cause I need this hole gone_

_Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving_

_Cause when you never see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving_

We all arrive at a chapel on the strip. A fat guy in an Elvis suit is sitting at the front desk. Cases full of wedding rings, and flower bouquets line the walls. Gale clears his throat and the guy stands up and starts helping us. He asks us if were sure about this then proceeds to finding us rings. He rings up the total for everything on an old cash register, Gale hands him his credit card. Once the transaction is complete, he has all four of us sign the marriage license and then leads us into the "chapel."

_Not really sure how to feel about it._

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you._

_It takes me all the way._

_I want you to stay, stay._

_I want you to stay, oh._

"Gale Leon Hawthorne, Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold as long as you both shall live?" The man asks.

Gale winks at me and slides the ring on my finger, "I do."

"And do you, Johanna Lillian Mason, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold as long as you both shall live?"

I smile and slide his ring on, "I do."

Fat Elvis finishes the ceremony, "Then by the power vested in me, by the state of Nevada and the city of Las Vegas I now pronounce you husband and wife. Lady and gentleman, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Gale Hawthorne. You may kiss your bride."

Our lips meet in a heated kiss, and the man has to clear his throat to get us to break apart. He hands us a copy of the marriage license and tells us we need to clear out in the next five minutes. I throw my bouquet at Katniss' head then run outside with Gale in tow. We end up at the motel down the road, purchasing a room for the night. The rest of the night is a blur of kisses, caresses and tangled limbs.

_I want you to stay._

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**The Next Morning…**

"Fuck! Why is it so bright?" I yell as I open my eyes. The room in front of me is unfamiliar, I look down at my naked body and then at my hands, where a ring sits on my left hand , ring finger. I slide my hands down my face, "Shit, what did I do last night?"

I hear a groan from beside me so I roll over, only to be met with a familiar face. I scream and Gale's eyes fly open as he jumps back, falling off the bed. He grumbles, "why the fuck did you scream? My head is killing me." He pulls himself up and flops on the bed, completely oblivious. Seconds later, his eyes fly open again taking in my naked body. His eyes land on my ring finger, "What the fuck did we do last night?"

I flick his forehead, "apparently we got married."

We talk for almost an hour, making sure we really want to stay married. After a long discussion and some tearful confessions of love we decide to give our unexpected marriage a chance. We agree that we need to tell Gale's parents so we get showered and dressed, and I call a cab to take us back to the mansion, where the car is parked. Once we're in Gale's car he stops at a McDonald's and orders six egg mcmuffins and four hashbrowns. We finish all the food quickly and get back in the car. We drive down the dirt road that leads to the Everdeen- Hawthorne home. Katniss' mom, Gale's dad and Prim, Rory, Vick and Posy all still live there.

We park in the driveway and Gale gets out to open my door. He gives me a chaste kiss then takes my hand as we walk into the house. His family is sitting around a huge oval table, eating waffles and eggs. We are met with smiles and good mornings.

Gale smiles nervously, "Hey everyone, I want to introduce you to someone."

Katniss' mom sighs, "Sweetie we already know Johanna."

He tucks our clasped hands behind his back, "You know her as Katniss' friend but you don't know what she is to me."

His dad laughs, "My son finally grew some balls and asked Johanna to be his girlfriend. About damn time!"

I laugh nervously, "I don't know if girlfriend is the right word."

Gale holds up my hand, the ring sparkles in the sun, "Mom and Dad I want you to meet my wife." The whole room erupts into cheers and I'm hugged by every family member.

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**6 weeks later…**

I run to the bathroom for the second time this morning, the dinner I had last night comes back up. Gale rushes up behind me and holds my hair. He has been really helpful and caring the past six weeks. Not even a week after we drunkenly got married, he moved all my stuff from the apartment I shared with Katniss into his apartment. When I started throwing up yesterday, he rushed in to hold my hair and then insisted on taking me to the doctor. I told him if I didn't feel better today, he could take me. I guess that means that I'm getting dragged to the doctors' today. I think I know why I'm sick but I don't dare tell Gale until I know for sure. I put on a pair of sweats and a tank top and call my doctor to set up an appointment, since I refuse to go to the Urgent Care. The receptionist sets up an appointment for me for 9:30 am and it's already nine. Gale gets dressed quickly and tries to smooth down his wild hair, only to have it get messed up the minute we step outside. The doctor's office is only ten minutes away but Gale had to stop once on the way they're so I could get out when I felt sick. We get to medical building right on time and check in at the front desk. I give them all the information they need then go sit down next to Gale and wait for my name to be called. Only a few minutes pass before I hear my new name being called, I'm still not used to being Johanna Hawthorne.

"What seems to be the problem today, Johanna… Hawthorne? Mason, is this some crazy prank? You and Hawthorne finally got together. " The doctor says as he enters. Dr. Haymitch Abernathy has been my family's doctor for as long as I can remember. He also happens to be a good friend of the Everdeen-Hawthorne clan. He laughs when I smirk at him then goes on to ask me a bunch of medical questions. He gives me a look, confirming that my original self diagnosis was most likely correct. "Go down to the lab, they will be drawing blood for several different tests and they are going need a urine sample. When you're done, come back here I asked for your results to be sent to me immediately."

We walk down to the hall to the lab, we don't wait a second to be called in. The woman ties an elastic band around my arm until the vein in the crook of my elbow becomes apparent. She cleans the area and slides the needle in easily, before untying the elastic band. I watch as my blood fills several tiny vials before the woman grabs some gauze and medical tape and removes the needle, replacing it with a makeshift band aid. She hands me a clear, plastic cup with a lid, clearly marked sterile and tells me to go into the bathroom and follow the directions posted. I do as the instructions say then wash my hands several times with a ton of soap. Gale and I walk back to Dr. Abernathy's office and a nurse brings us right in. We sit in the room and wait for the results. It feels like we wait hours but in reality it's only been a few minutes. Dr. Abernathy walks in with my test results, a stack of papers, a business card, and a smile. My heart feels like it is about to beat out of my chest when he gives us the news.

He hands us all of the papers, "Congratulations you two, looks like you're going to be parents. Here is some paperwork on what to do and not to do and a card to a friend of mine, he's an expert at delivering babies and such. My assistant will be in shortly so we can do an ultrasound."

When Haymitch leaves to go gather his assistant and the machine I look over at Gale. He has a huge smile on his face, but he still looks like he is in shock. He snaps out of it a second later and pulls me into a hug. Haymitch returns a second later, a weird machine and his pink haired assistant trailing behind him. Her badge says Effie Trinket and I have to stifle a laugh. The woman looks like she came straight from a strip show in one of the nearby clubs. The woman gives me a smile as she asks me to pull my shirt up and squirts a cold gel on my stomach before Haymitch takes over and places the wand on my stomach and moves it around. A picture appears on the screen, and I can see the two peanuts that are our babies… twins. We are told that I am probably around 5 weeks pregnant, so the babies will be due in late February, if carried full term. Even though I am tough and I generally try and keep my emotions intact, in that moment I cry tears of happiness because for the first time in years, it feels like my life is finally moving forward. The stripper/nurse/assistant presses a button and a couple of copies of the picture that was displayed on the screen print out. She hands them to Gale and cleans me up. We leave the office with all of our papers and smiles. I send a text to my parents with the news and I get a text congratulating me. Gale calls his house and tells them to put it on speaker. When he tells them the news, the house goes crazy with happiness. Katniss and Peeta who happen to be over there, are the loudest cheerers of all.

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**15 Weeks Later (20 Weeks/ 5 Months Pregnant)…**

"I look like a fucking hippo Gale! Why am I so fat, ugggh!" I scream as I look at myself in the mirror. Since I was thin and I'm carrying two kids, I am already gigantic. The black dress I am supposed to wear to Gale's work dinner is skin tight so you can see just how big I have gotten.

Gale comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me, resting his hands on my stomach. "You are not fat Jo-jo, you are the most beautiful woman I have seen. Our son and daughter will be the most adorable children on the planet. You can't go wrong with our genes. Now let's go before were late, and Thom eats all of the good food!"

"I hope they have chocolate dipped gummy worms." I think out loud. "They really sound good right now, so do some of Mellark's cheese buns dipped in cheese sauce."

Gale laughs as he pulls me out the door to the car, I grab my purse on the way out, "Jo, you have the weirdest cravings. I doubt they will have that but maybe they'll have mozzarella sticks and ranch."

"Welly? I wuv dos." I say with my mouth full of cheese bun.

Gale looks at me, "where the hell did you get that from?"

I finish chewing, "my purse. I also have some gummy worms…want some?" Gale rolls his eyes but smiles at me. Although I'm sure he's tired of my hormonal breakdowns, cravings, and complaining, he never voices it. I must say if I wasn't already married to him, I would marry him in a heartbeat.

The company dinner seems to go by fast. I spent the night eating mozzarella sticks and pickle spears and talking to Gale's coworker Thom's fiancée, Delilah or Delly for short. Gale received an award for his "excellent commitment" to the business, along with this award comes a promotion and raise. To celebrate, Gale takes me to the Mellark Bakery after the dinner ends and buys a dozen cheese buns along with a couple of chocolate covered cream puffs. God I love this man so much.

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**18 Weeks Later ( 38 Weeks/ 9 Months Pregnant) Feb. 21 2013…**

Gale and I stand side by side as we watch Peeta get down on one knee and propose to Katniss. After dating for six years, he finally popped the question at a family dinner at the Everdeen-Hawthorne household. Tears stream down my face as I look at how happy my friends are, damn hormones. As Peeta gets up and Katniss leans in to kiss him, I feel a horrible pain rip through my body and suddenly the floor beneath me is wet. I picked the perfect time for my water to break, didn't I? Gale freaks out and makes me sit down before running around his family's house. Gale's stepmom, who is a nurse comes over and checks things out. She mutters a few words to herself before going over and calling my obstetrician . Katniss and Peeta try and calm Gale down, ensuring him that the babies can be born safely at 38 weeks. He calms down and comes back over to help me get off the couch and into the car. We arrive at the hospital and I am helped into a wheelchair before I am pushed into the building and brought up to the right department.

After being hooked up to several machines, the OB/GYN comes in and tells me I am about 8 centimeters dilated, and I need to be 10 to start pushing. Apparently I will have a quick birthing process, thank God! That means less time for me to be laying here in pain, as I listen to the heartbeats of the twins.

Not too much later, the contractions get so close together there is barely any time between them. The doctor informs Gale and I that once Gale is suited up, I can start pushing. Gale leaves with the blue scrub-like outfit and comes back a minute later all dressed. He smiles at me and takes my hand in his. The doctor sets everything up, he has two assistants to help and I have Gale on my one side, holding my hand and my mother stands on the other side, also suited up. I hadn't expected her to make it but she did somehow. I am told to start pushing when the next contraction hits. It hits and I push as the people around me count. I repeat the same process twice and then I hear a loud wail followed by the bustling of one of the nurses as she cuts the cord and goes to clean our baby boy up. I smile until I am hit with another contraction and another round of pushing. The second baby begins to wail, and I see our daughter whisked away to be cleaned. The doctor cleans me up and his two nurses bring the babies over. One wrapped in blue and the other in pink. They place them in my arms before telling me they will be back in a few minutes so that I can rest. My mom takes a bunch of pictures and kisses each of the baby's foreheads and mine before leaving so Gale and I can have some alone time with the twins, since we still need to name them.

Gale takes our little girl in his arms, " What do you think of Ashleigh Rose for our little girl? Rose was my mom's name. "

I nod and shift our son in my arms, "I love it. I was thinking Brayden James for this little guy." Gale agrees and fills out the paper work for the birth certificates. The nurses come in so that they can take the babies to be thoroughly checked out and so I can rest. Gale gives me a kiss before heading out to the waiting room to talk to everyone. I fall asleep easily and when I wake up about six hours later, I am told that unless something happens I can go home tomorrow.

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**1 Month Later ( March 21)…**

"I want to have a real wedding, with our families there and Brayden and Ashleigh. Watching Peeta and Kat plan their wedding has had me thinking that maybe we should have a traditional wedding. It doesn't have to be soon, we can wait as long as you want but someday I want to get married to you the right way Jo-jo." Gale says as we sit on our couch.

" I think I would like to marry you again. Maybe this time we can have a honeymoon we will actually remember." I reply with a wink.

He laughs, "I remember a few parts of that wonderful night. I remember promise you that I would stay with you forever."

I lean against him, " I hope you plan to keep that promise. I want you to stay."

We look at each other and then down at our son and daughter. It's amazing to think that one drunken night changed my life so drastically. I wouldn't change anything though, I'm perfectly happy with my life now. So as my husband pulls me closer I smile at the fact that I am no longer tough, boyish Johanna Mason. I am a wife, a mother, I am Johanna Hawthorne and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Gale kisses me, "Jo-jo, you should know by now…I never break my promises."

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**As I said, if I get at least a few reviews I will add 1 or 2 additional chapters. Just a few little notes. The way everyone acts while drunk might be a little off because when I get drunk I just get really quiet and tired. I'm a boring drunk. Also the cravings Johanna had sound weird but that is exactly what I had cravings for when I was pregnant with my son. All of the places are probably real but I do not actually know for sure. **

**To everyone who read my last story, Picking up the Pieces and saw that I was planning on writing a few one-shots, sorry for the delay. After being engaged for about 3 years, my fiancée and I finally tied the knot in mid-april, so between wedding stuff, my son graduating pre-school and finishing up my first year teaching, I have been busy. For those of you who might have read the newest multi chapter story I'm writing, The Remarkable Mellark, I will be taking it down. I did not get enough feedback and I do not have the time to dedicate to a full blown multi chapter fic at this point in time. Sorry for all the personal info. :P**

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**Follow me on Tumblr: thggoddess**

**Thank you to everyone who has read this, please please please review, favorite, and follow! **

**Katie (THGgoddess4ever)**


	2. Chapter 2 Epilogue

**Stay- Chapter 2/ Epilogue**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games, or the song Stay. **

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**A/N: So, I know this took me an insanely long amount of time to finish. Its been a whirlwind of events since I posted the last chapter. This chapter does skip around quite a bit because I wrote different parts at different times. I had originally planned on adding another chapter after this one as an epilogue but I have a bit of writers block. I do hope y'all enjoy this chapter. I would like to dedicate this chapter to TheWomanWhoCodesAndWrites, who inspired me to add a second chapter and who is always there to discuss anything from personal problems to possible Johale moments in the next few movies. Thank you for everything! Also check out the bottom for news on stories to come!**

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Panem, Nevada. A town so small it is rarely listed on a map. That's where we all grew up. Gale, Katniss, Peeta, and I. Now I bet you're wondering a little bit about my past and about everyone else's places in my life. I will start by telling you a little bit about myself. My name is Johanna Lillian Mason. I was born and raised in Panem, in a housing tract known as District 7. My whole life I felt like I didn't live up to my parents standards. Both of them were well known and respected business people and I was the girl who wanted to study trees. I always fell short of their expectations, and so the day I turned 18, I moved out. After we graduated high school, Katniss decided to move in with me. Katniss Everdeen is one of my best friends, even though she tends to be a little brainless sometimes. The main reason I let Katniss move in with me though was because her step- brother, Gale Hawthorne, was my absolute best friend and confidant. Now, he is my husband and my soul mate. Now, most people don't meet their soul mate until later in life. Me? I met mine at the age of 4, in preschool. I know it seems weird that a four year old could know so soon who they belonged with but it happened. I wouldn't say it was love at first sight because I don't believe in that. It was more of an understanding. Gale stood out to me the first day of preschool. He was taller than the other kids and a lot quieter. He seemed to be in his own little world and I liked that about him. He was not the overly nice Peeta Mellark or the annoyingly bubbly Delly Cartwright either.

Gale and I became friends and he eventually opened up to me about his life. I learned about his mother, Rose Hazelle, who had passed away of cancer when Gale was only two years old. I learned about his favorite color and hobby and why he and Katniss never got along. As we got older, we only grew closer. When we were thirteen Gale took me to his mother's grave; no one else had ever been brought there. When we started high school, Gale constantly pretended to be my boyfriend. He said that none of the boys were good enough for me. The most pivotal moment was right after we graduated high school, on my 18th Birthday. That was the day that I decided that I wanted to lose my v-card to my best friend, and later that night we spent the night tangled up in the sheets. Now that I look back at my relationship with Gale, I realize that we really haven't been just friends since we were little. I think I must have been pretty oblivious to not realize that we had some serious feelings for each other. Sometimes I wonder how we never ended up together sooner.

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Enough about the past; I'm sure you're starting to wonder about our life now. Well, it's been five years since we, or should I say I, had the twins. Brayden is already a little heartbreaker, he looks like a perfect mix of Gale and I. He got Gale's height, skin tone and hair color but he has my eyes and personality. He's been flirting with girls since he started talking. Ashleigh is the complete opposite; she has Gale's gray eyes and personality and my light brown hair and fairer complexion. She keeps her brother down to earth, and he keeps her safe. Gale got promoted two more times and is now the Head Designer at one of the largest Graphic Design companies in the United States. I was finally able to get a job at a lab that studies the effects of earthquakes on different landscapes. Not only do we love our jobs but we both make insane amounts of money so we currently live in a large house on the outskirts of Panem. Weirdly enough Katniss and Peeta became our neighbors after Peeta struck it rich.

Speaking of my favorite couple, they got married four years ago. They had a huge outdoor wedding, and the reception was held in some fancy hotel ballroom. Not even a year later, they welcomed their daughter into the world. Rylee (Rye) Eva Mellark has her mom's dark brown hair and olive complexion and her dad's bright blue eyes and friendly personality. She just turned three and spends most of her time playing with her cousins and babbling non-stop. Katniss believe it or not became a stay at home mom, something completely uncharacteristic of her. Peeta took over his father's bakery and opened branches throughout Nevada, Arizona, and California. I guess that his business major he worked so hard for finally came in handy. The two of them seem more in love now than ever before and I didn't think that was possible.

Now that everyone is settled, happy and there are no infants to worry about Gale and I have started to plan our actual wedding Ceremony. The wedding date is set for tomorrow, on the sixth anniversary of our original wedding. Since the wedding is so soon everyone around me is stressed out, except me and I'm pretty sure that I am supposed to be the one that is stressed.

I am not a girly girl, never have been never will be. As much as I love Gale, I really just want this wedding to be over so that we can go back to our normal everyday lives.

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**THE NEXT DAY…**

"Johanna, get your ass out here! It's time to walk down the aisle." Katniss yells at me as I walk slowly down the hallway of the house and towards the back door. One look out the door and I can tell almost everyone in our small town is present, Gale and Pastor Boggs stand at the end of the walkway. Katniss and Peeta start off the wedding by walking down the aisle as the Best Man and Matron of Honor. Following them are the Brayden, Ashleigh, and Rylee, the ring bearer and the two flower girls. My father comes up beside me and takes my arm as the music starts. He kisses my forehead and then we start down the aisle. Gale and I smile at each other and when I make it to the altar my father gives my hand to him.

The Pastor starts, "Friends, we have been invited here today to share with Gale and Johanna Hawthorne most important moment in their lives. In the time they have been together their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured. Now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife, again."

Everyone sits down in their seats, some wiping tears and others chuckling at the word again and smiling happily.

The pastor smiles, "We have been invited to hear Gale and Johanna as they promise to face the future together, accepting whatever may lie ahead. For the world that God has created for them, with its beauty and grace that is all around, with the strength that it offers and the peace that it brings makes them truly grateful. Gale and Johanna, nothing is easier than saying words and nothing harder than living them day after day. What you promise today must be renewed and redecided tomorrow. At the end of this ceremony spiritually you will be man and wife, but you still must decide each day that stretches out before you, that you want to be married. Real love is something beyond the warmth and glow, the excitement and romance of being deeply in love. It is caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your marriage partner as about your own. But real love is not total absorption in each other; it is looking outward in the same direction together. Love makes burdens lighter, because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone.

"Gale, will you take Johanna to be your wife? Will you love and respect her? Will you be honest with her always? Will you stand by her through whatever may come? Will you make whatever adjustments are necessary so that you can genuinely share your life with her?"

"I will."

"Johanna, will you take Gale to be your husband? Will you be honest with him always? Will you stand by him through whatever may come? Will you make whatever adjustments are necessary so that you can genuinely share your life with him?"

"I will."

"Gale, what token do you give of the vows you have made?"

Gale repeats after the pastor, "A ring. With this ring I thee wed."

"Johanna, what token do you give of the vows you have made?"

I repeat the same line Gale just did, "A ring. With this ring I thee wed."

"Gale and Johanna Hawthorne, we have heard you promise to share your lives in marriage. We recognize and respect the covenant you have made. It is not a minister standing before you that makes your marriage real, but the honest and sincerity of what you have said and done here before your friends and relatives in the sight of God. Forasmuch as Gale and Johanna have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, by the authority committed unto me as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I declare that Gale and Johanna are now husband and wife, according to the ordinance of God and the law of the State of Nevada: in the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Whom therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. Gale, you may now kiss your bride."

Gale lifts the veil from my face and we both lean forward, our lips meeting in a short but passionate kiss.

The pastor clears his throat and turns to the two of us, "Now the ceremony is over and the experience of living day by day as married people in the eyes of God and the Church is about to begin. Go forth to meet it, gladly, love life so it will love you. May blessings of God be with you." The pastor smiles at us before turning to the crowd, "I now present to you all, Mr. and Mrs. Gale Hawthorne, again."

The crowd bursts into laughter and loud cheers. The rest of the night is spent in a blur of dances, speeches, and kisses. Later in the night once the kids are sound asleep in their own rooms, we celebrate our marriage again, and again, and again.

* * *

As we drift off to sleep, I dream about the future. I didn't know of course that the future I dreamt of would become my reality. Several years later, I would be sitting out on the back porch alongside my husband watching the two children I dreamt of playing with their big siblings. Our third child, Rose, is a perfect combination of Gale and I. Her short light brown hair and wide set grey eyes complimented her feiry, yet brooding personality and lightly tanned skin. Our youngest child, KC, is the complete opposite. He has dark brown hair, youthful brown eyes and dark, unblemished olive skin with a personality to match. Of course the kids would grow up and their personality and physical features would change with time but no matter what you could tell they were our children. The next generation Hawthrones would grow up alongside their cousins, Rylee and Wheaton Mellark. Together they would make it through the ups and downs and find their way in this crazy, messed up world.

And as they grew up and moved out, Gale and I would only become closer. As we grew older, memories began fade and people were harder to remember. But through it all I would always remember the one person that brought me the most happiness, the one who never fails to appear in my memories- Gale. One memory would stay with me until the day I died- the day he promised he would stay forever.

* * *

_Not really sure how to feel about it._

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you._

_It takes me all the way._

_I want you to stay_

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**Hello Everyone! I wanted to let everyone know that I will not be writing any new stories of my own for awhile. 0012Me has asked me to finish her Everlark story, Don't Let Happiness Get You Down. Once I finish that story for her, I will probably go back to writing one-shots. Check out 0012Me's story, and I look forward to seeing you all over there!**

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**Follow me on Tumblr at: thggoddess**

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**Thank you for your continued support! – Katie (THGgoddess4ever)**


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